Peter F. Jones

Management of the impalpable testis: Long-term results of the preperitoneal approach

During a 12-year period 396 operations for undescended testes were carried out by one surgeon. In 90 boys the testis was impalpable, and exploration was performed using a muscle-splitting preperitoneal approach. Testicular volume and location were prospectively recorded at 3 months and 1 year, 94% were intrascrotal at 1 year and 84% were judged to have grown. At late follow-up 6 to 16 years (mean, 11 years) after ochidopexy, 81% of testes were in the scrotum and 57% were of normal volume. The value and advantages of this operative approach and its place in the management strategy of the impalpable testis are discussed.

The economics of nuclear fuel reprocessing: A case study of the windscale THORP plant

In 1978, following the Windscale Public Inquiry of the previous year, the Honourable Mr Justice Parker produced his Report to the Secretary of State for the Environment (Parker, 1978) giving virtually unconditional blessing to BNFL’s proposals (see p. 23). Rather than assent without first having a parliamentary debate — since reprocessing has political implications in that both the Ford and Carter administrations have maintained a moratorium on most foreign reprocessing plants combined with some gentle pressure on countries already possessing significant nuclear programmes — the Secretary of State refused planning permission. A debate then followed that resulted in parliamentary approval and this enabled a Special Development Order to be introduced into Parliament, approval for which was given in May 1978. Preparatory work for the construction of THORP is now underway.